Carnival Worker Charged With Murder In The Deaths Of 2 Women And Teenager

An alleged traveling carnival worker has been charged in the deaths of three women, one whom was a teenager.

James Michael Wright of Virginia faces three counts of capital murder, authorities said in a Monday statement to NBC News. The 23-year-old is accused of fatally shooting Elizabeth Vanmeter of Tennessee, Athina Hopson of Tennessee and Joslyn Alsup of Georgia.

Wright reportedly confessed to all three shootings, but told detectives that they were accidental. County Sheriff Fred Newman said he “found that hard to believe.”

The 23-year-old from Mendota, Virginia, allegedly told investigators that the killings were accidental, but the Washington County, Virginia, Sheriff’s Office “found that hard to believe.” https://t.co/nzDpagVhlc

The company that organizes the amusement park denies ever employing Wright. Authorities are also looking into other locations for reports of missing women.

Editor’s Note: An earlier version of this article stated that Wright was employed by the James H. Drew Carnival. According to the sheriff and multiple reports, he was employed by a subcontractor that provided the carnival with livestock. The copy has been updated for clarity.